Arteta admits 'We were all scared' as Gabriel injury fear turned to goal
Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal were genuinely frightened when Gabriel Magalhães went down injured during Saturday's 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates, only for the Brazilian to score the clinching goal minutes later.
Gabriel appeared to hurt his right knee while stretching to make a clearance early in the second half. His immediate reaction was concerning, with the defender signalling towards the bench before receiving treatment on the pitch. For a few uncomfortable minutes, it looked as though Arsenal might lose one of their most important players.
The Friday Injury Tracker
Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
Gabriel was determined to continue, though, and what happened next showed exactly why Arteta values him so highly.
Arteta reveals the real source of the scare
Speaking after the match, Arteta explained that it wasn't necessarily Gabriel's fall itself that caused the greatest concern, but the reaction of the players around him. As reported by the Evening Standard, Arteta said:
“Well, he's a clear example, when I'm talking about the mentality of the team, obviously the mentality of the team is the mentality of the individuals in the team. Gabi is a great example of that because we were all scared. Not because of the way he went down, but the reaction of the players that were next to him.”
He continued: “Immediately he says that he wants to continue and then he scores a goal to help us win the game. That's what we need from our players.”
It was quite a turnaround for the centre back, who went from looking unlikely to finish the match to heading home Arsenal's second goal in the 69th minute. Gabriel was outstanding at both ends of the pitch throughout the afternoon.
Why Gabriel's fitness matters so much right now
With William Saliba still unavailable, Arsenal can hardly afford another setback in central defence. Gabriel's partnership with Ezri Konsa has provided some much needed stability at the back, and both defenders getting on the scoresheet against Everton was an added bonus on top of the clean sheet.
Arteta's comments also point to something statistics alone cannot capture, the determination and mentality Gabriel brings to this Arsenal side, and the effect that has on his teammates when things look uncertain.
Playing on and scoring does not automatically rule out a lingering issue, of course. Supporters will want to see how Gabriel comes through training in the coming days before any concern is fully put to rest.
Arsenal's win moved them level on points with Manchester City, and keeping their defensive leader fit and available is likely to matter a great deal as the schedule continues to stack up.
